Grape-picking implement.



B. J. GLOBS.

GRAPE PIGKING IMPLEMBNT.

Patented May 13, 1913.

2 SHEETS-SHEET l.

APPLICATION FILED JUNE 10, 1012.

lieven Z071 772 72] Y0 B. J. CLOES.

GRAPE PIGKING IMPLEMBNT.

APPLIoATloN FILED JUNE 1o. 1912.

Patented May 13, 1913.

'1 FFIGE.

BENJAMIN J. GLOES, OF LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA.

GRAPE-PICKING IMPLEMENT.

To all wh-0m t may cantera.'

Be it known that I, BENJAMIN J. Cnons, a citizen of the United States, residing at Los Angeles, in-the county oit' Los Angeles and State of California, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Grape-Picking Implements, et' which the following is a specification.

My object is to provide a hand implement, of simple and improved construction, adapting it for convenient use, more especially, in gathering bunches of grapes from vines.

In the accon'lpanying drawings-diigul-e 1 is a face view of my improv'ed implement' with the moving parts in normal position; Fig. 2, a side, or edge, elevation thereof; Fig. 3, a section taken on line 3 in F ig. 1; Figs. 4 and 5, sections taken respectively on lines 4 and 5 in Fig. 1 Fig. 6, an end View of the implement taken from line (3 in Fig. 1; Figs. 7 and 8, sections taken respectively on lines 7 and S in Fig. 3; and Fig. 9, a broken and partly sectional view of the end portion of the implement showing the parts at the end of a clipping stroke.

The body of the implement consists o1 a frame or casing, open at both ends, formed of outer side-plates 10 and 11, the plate 10 being flanged to form the edge-plates 12, 12a. The casing is divided into three longitudinally extending compartments 13, 14, 15, by means of two partition-plates 16, 17, the casing and partition-plates being held in rigid spaced relation by rivets 18 and 19, carrying suitably disposed spacing washers 20. The partition-plates 16 and 17 extend beyond the casing where they are cut away on opposite sides to form corresponding grape-stem receiving recesses, or openings 21, 22.

Riveted againstthe outer faces oit the plates 16, 17, at the outer sides of the openings 21, 22, are segmental lflanged pieces 2 3, 24, forming stem-gripping members. ln the space 14 is a longitudinally reciprocating cutter-blade, or shearing-member, 25, having a central slot 2G between its ends which receives a guidestud 27 fastened to the plates 16, 17. Pivoted to the rivets 19 are handles 28 connected through togglelinks 29 with the end portion of the cutter blade 25. Surrounding the cutter-blade and confined between the inner end otthe easing and toggle-links 2S) is a spring 30, which tends toliold the cutter-blade in the retract- Specicaton of Letters Patent.

Application filed June 10, 1912.

Patented May 13, 1913.

Serial No. 702,708.

ed position shown and the handles 2S extended.

lressure ot' the handles toward each other causes the cutter-blade, or shearing-member, 25 to belmoved at its cutting edges across the openings 21, 22, into the space between the parts 23, 24, which operate to form a stationary shearing-member 31 into which the cutting edge of the cutter-bl ade moves.

Pivoted upon the bolt 32 which joins the toggle-links to the cutter-blade are shit'table and lrmgitudiimlly yielding stem-gripping members 33, $14-, consisting of metal strips extending through the casing and having Vflanged and curved gripping-heads, as shown. The grippi11g-member carries a projecting thumb-piece 33 extending outward through an opening B5 in the plate 10 and the grippiiig-meunier 34 carries a projecting thumlrpiece 3ft extending outward through an opening 36 in the edge 12a. The gripping-members 33, 34, slide longitudinally, in the spaces 153, 15, with the cutterblade 25 and are held normally pressed in the direction ot' the edge 12l by the wire springs 37 in the spaces 13, 15.

The implen'lent is adapted to be held in one hand and to out either to the right or to the lett and grip and hold the stems of bunches of grapes extending in any direction. One ot the purposes of the implement is to enable the operator to clip bunches of grapes 'from a vine and perform the gathering operation altogether with one hand without making it necessary to touch the grapes themselves with either hand. ln operation, presuming that the implement is held in the right hand: To piek a bunch ot grapes extending in the 'forward direction to the right, the operator will first press his thumb upon the thumb-piece 34, to more the gripping member 5111- out o1 the way, then pass the implement at the opening 22 over the stem ot the bunch and then squeeze the handles 2S, causing the shearinglmembers 25, 31, to sever the stem and the gripping-member :7&3 to clamp the severed portion of the stem against the gripping-member 255, whereby the bunch is held until deposited in a basket or the like which the operator may carry in his left.v hand.

l1' the bunch to be picked extends in the direction away trom the operator, he would press upon the thumb-piece 33, to move the gripping-member 33 out ot the way, and

grip ftlfebunch as it is severed from the vine with the gripping-members 34, 24. In gathering a bunch to the left and extending in the forward direction, the operator would press upon the thumb-piece 33a, then squeeze the handles 2S, so that when the grape-stem is severed, it will be clamped by the gripping-members 33, 23; and if the bunch extends in the opposite direction, he would press upon the thumb-piece 34a in the picking operation to cause the gripping-members 34, 24, to graspnthe stem of the severed bunch. The gripping members 33,A 34 may yield slightly against the resistance ofa stili spring 38.

Constructed as described, my improved implement may be employed to pick bunches of grapes quickly with `one-hand and without the necessity of contact of the operators hand with the grapes themselves.

While my improved implement is especially adapted for picking grapes it is not to be limited to that particular use.

The foregoing description is intended to convey a clear understanding of my improvements in what I now believe to be the best form of their embodiment, and no undue limitation should be understood therefrom. It is my intention to claim all that is-4 novel in my invention, and that the claims shallbe construed as boardly as the prior state of the art may warrant.

What I claim as new and desire to secure byv Let-ters Patent, is-

l. In an implement of the character described, the combination with a frame or casing, of a pair of shearing-members cutting at either side thereof, stem-grippers at opposite sides of the shearing-members, and a pair of handles with which said shearingmembers and stem-grippers are operatively connected.

2; In an implement of the character del scribed, the combination with a frame or casing, of a pair of shearing-members' cutting at either side thereof, stem-grippers at opposite sides of the shearing-members, each shiftable to operate at either side of said frame or casing, and a pair of handles with which said shearing-members and stem-grippers are operatively connected.

3. In an implement of the character described, the combination of a pair of plates separated from each other, a stem-engaging recess in one sideof the plates near the outer end thereof, a stationary stem-gripping member at the outer'side of said recess, a movable shearing-blade mounted between said'plates to cut across said recess, a movable gripping-member at the side of said blade .cooperating with said stationary gripping-member to clamp a stem as Ait 1s out by the shearing-blade, and handles with which said shearing-blade and movable gripping-member are operatively connected.

4. In an implement of the character described, the combination of a pair of plates separated from each other, stem-engaging recesses in opposite sides of the plates near the outerend thereof, stationary stem-gripping members atthe outer sides of the recesses, a movable shearing-blade mounted between said plates to cut across said recesses, movable gripping-members at opposite sides of said shearing-blade, each shiftable to either of said recesses and cooperating with said stationary gripping-members to clamp a stem as it is cut by the shearing-bladel and handles with which said shearing-blade and movable gripping-members are operatively connected.

BENJAMIN J. CLOES.

In the presence of HILDA A. Orr, MARY G. LUKASKA.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for ve cents each, by addressing' the Commissioner of Patents.

Washington, I). C. 

